Title

Author

Date of Award

2010

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

School of Education

Abstract

Restructuring the school calendar has been investigated by school districts as a possible way to increase student achievement in order to meet the standards of higher accountability. In order for districts to make sound and informed decisions about year-round schools and to evaluate the effectiveness of calendar differences; educators and administrators need to review the research on this subject. However, the research on year-round schools (YRS) can be misleading, biased, and inconclusive. While increased student achievement would arguably be of importance when researching YRS; demonstrating and reporting student achievement can be challenging.

This study will investigate the academic achievement in year-round and traditional schools in Chicago, Illinois. This study is designed to determine if there is a difference in student achievement between year-round schools and traditional calendar schools as demonstrated on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT). This study matches 39 year-round schools in Chicago, Illinois, with 39 traditional schools that have student populations with similar geographic locations, socio-economic status, and ethnic backgrounds. The purpose of the study is to determine if the academic achievement of students in year-round schools is different than the achievement of students schooled on a traditional school calendar. Specifically, passing percentage averages in reading and math for third grade students will be compared between the 78 schools for the 2008-2009 school year. Subgroups of low-income and minority student achievement will also be examined in both types of schools.